Tech
Tech news with a security angle · 17 recent stories
Hackers reportedly took control of supermarket fridges across dozens of European shops
Dozens of supermarkets across European countries were affected by a cyber-attack that disrupted their refrigeration equipment. The article questions how vulnerable other internet-connected technology may be to similar attacks.
Several European supermarkets hit by suspected cyberattacks that remotely raised freezer temperatures
Grocery chains in Belgium, Sweden, Luxembourg and Estonia are reportedly affected by suspected cyberattacks on connected refrigeration equipment, with temperatures changed suddenly. An ICA Kvantum store in Sweden said its fridges and freezers were remotely set to 50°C overnight, and Swedish chain Coop confirmed that unauthorised actors gained access to systems.
Supermarket fridges across Europe hit by second suspected cyberattack
Chains in Sweden, Belgium and Luxembourg report that refrigeration and freezer temperatures rose overnight across dozens of stores, which is suspected to be a cyberattack. In Belgium, Belga reports that attackers remotely switched the units' evaporators to defrost mode, and the incident follows a French attack three weeks earlier that caused millions of euros of food losses.
Hackers send fake nuclear attack warnings through Ukraine and Russia emergency alert apps
Cyberattacks compromised the emergency alert apps of Ukraine and Russia on the evening of Sunday 1 November, pushing fabricated messages about nuclear, chemical and radiation threats to users' devices. Ukraine's Air Force said its Air Alert app was likely compromised and Russia's Ministry of Emergency Situations confirmed its app had been abused and later restored it. Both governments pointed the public to sirens, SMS, broadcasts and official accounts as primary warning channels.
Binance users withdraw billions after record crypto hack
Cryptocurrency exchange Binance suffered a record hack affecting digital assets worth $6.3bn. The company froze transactions in the aftermath, and users have since withdrawn billions in funds. The article does not give the attack method or the scope of any loss.
Binance hit by $6.3bn hack, largest cryptocurrency heist on record
Binance suffered a $6.3 billion theft, reported as the largest cryptocurrency hack to date. Two analytics firms attribute the attack to the North Korean unit TraderTraitor, and Binance has pledged to cover all losses. About $3 billion in assets have been frozen by the exchange and its partners.
Playable version of cancelled Portal prequel F-Stop leaked online
A near-complete playable build of the cancelled Portal prequel F-Stop has been assembled from assets in a 12-terabyte leak from August, plus missing final pieces shared on the Valve Cut Content Discord. The game's source code and map data were not in the original leak, but the new material made the build possible. The game's camera-and-Polaroid mechanic sets it apart from the mainline Portal titles.
Guardian opinion piece argues charismatic persuasion can exploit a psychological weakness
This is an opinion column rather than security news. It argues that charismatic speakers exploit an evolutionary tendency to trust confident communicators, and that people's beliefs are polarised by echo chambers built from the channels, feeds and influencers they follow. The article offers no technical or security findings.
Binance says 90 per cent of $6.3 billion stolen in crypto heist has been replenished
Binance says it has replenished 90 per cent of the $6.3 billion stolen from customers in a record crypto heist, covering the losses directly. The remaining 10 per cent, made up of less liquid tokens, may take longer to acquire, and withdrawals remain paused with a target to re-enable them on Sunday.
North Korean hackers are the prime suspect in a record-making Binance hack
Binance, the cryptocurrency exchange, suffered a record-making theft, and North Korean hackers are the prime suspects. The BBC article frames these accusations as unproven and focuses on how capable such state-linked groups have become.
US charges five over AI-assisted ghost student loan fraud, seizes over $750,000 in crypto
The US Department of Justice has charged five individuals in what it describes as the first broad federal crackdown on "ghost students", fraudsters who use the identities of hundreds of Americans to enrol as fake students and obtain student loans. The DOJ said the scheme relied partly on AI, and that data analysis helped flag likely fraudsters before it seized over $750,000 in cryptocurrency from a network associated with Kenyan nationals.
Binance suffers $6.3bn crypto hack, with North Korea named as likely culprit
Binance, the largest cryptocurrency exchange, suffered a record $6.3bn hack, described as the biggest heist in history. Experts identify North Korea as the likely culprit. Binance says it will cover all customer losses and has frozen about $3bn of the affected assets so far.
Experts warn AI copyright changes in Australia could breach constitution and trigger compensation claims
Coalition senators and the recording industry warn that proposed copyright changes allowing AI firms to scrape music, books and journalism could breach the Australian constitution. Constitutional expert Anne Twomey says it could potentially amount to an acquisition of property by the government, depending on how the legislation is drafted, opening the door to compensation claims from rights holders.